Journey to Spirit: The Team
The Spirited Women – All Women’s Adventure Race is an event where women team up, train, and have an absolute blast of an adventure together, side by side all the way. We love this event and can’t wait to be there on race day to see all the women crushing their goals and having a brilliant adventure day out together.
Our Zeenya sponsored Team MAMA’s are getting ready to take on the adventure with the Medium Course at the Hawkes Bay event. We caught up with them to find out more about them and their inspiration.
Good luck team MAMA’s! We can’t wait to see you embrace the race with bright colour and positive energy.
Name and/or nickname: Megan Wright (Megs)
What's your favourite part of being in Spirited Women? Getting to spend time with these awesome ladies and their families, it's a highlight on our family calendar to go away and explore different spots around NZ with our team, and to have lots of cheering and support from husbands and children is awesome on race day too. I also love being pushed to try new things with the mystery activities, being pushed well outside my comfort zone with shooting, bridge jumping etc.
When you're not training, how do you spend your time? I returned to Part time work this year so I've suddenly got a lot less time on my hands, but when I'm not working or training, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, water skiing, travelling, baking, reading
Who is your biggest inspiration and why? My family would have to be top of my list when it comes to inspiration, especially my three daughters. They encourage me every day to be the best Mum I can be, to be active and to try new things. I decided to start running about 4 years ago, having never enjoyed running in my life before, and my family has been my biggest support, with kids biking alongside me, running with me and most of all, encouraging me to keep going when I'm not sure I can! Now my motivation is to keep running in the hope that one day I'll catch them again!
If you could have one super power in life what would it be any why? I'd love to have a magic wand that I could wave and meals would be cooked and the house cleaned! This would allow so much more time for the fun stuff in life.
What was the thing you were most nervous about for your first Spirited women event? I was really nervous about whether I'd trained enough to make it to the end! I had never attempted an event that would take this long and I was worried whether I would have enough energy to keep up with my team, and to achieve the unknown.
What would you tell yourself about that first race now that you've had experience? Keep the fuel going in throughout the day, eat and drink little and often, even when you don't feel like it. Do lots of hills in training, you won't regret that come race day!
Name and/or nickname: Amie Kiely
What's your favourite part of being in Spirited Women? Being active and adventurous in a beautiful part of NZ with 3 awesome chicks.
When you're not training, how do you spend your time? I work full time as a teacher and am a mum and wife. In my free time (once I’ve done some training), I love to spend time with friends and family, a good Netflix show, and a glass of wine or two.
Who is your biggest inspiration and why? This is a tricky question... I’ve come across lots of people in my life who have inspired me in different ways. It will probably sound cheesy, but my husband is pretty inspirational. He’s the one that gives me the encouragement to get out of my comfort zone ... when Megan sent the email to see if I’d be keen to do Spirited Women the first time, Blair (husband) saw the email and read it out to me, I think I was doing something else at the time and half agreed, so he replied on behalf of me to sign me up.
If you could have one super power in life what would it be any why? To be able to slow down time to fit in everything I want/ need to do would be awesome.
What was the thing you were most nervous about for your first Spirited women event? It was the unknown, how long it would take, if I would be able to cope. I didn’t want to be the weak link in our team.
What would you tell yourself about that first race now that you've had experience? It is an awesome event, make sure you have the right size bike for you, keep talking to your teammates during the race. If someone goes quiet, suggest a snack stop :)
Name and/or nickname: Melanie Ruffell, nickname Mel
What's your favourite part of being in Spirited Women? The team I’m in, awesome ladies, who inspire me and I love that we inspire our kids.
When you're not training, how do you spend your time? Spending time with family, friends, playing social sport.
Who is your biggest inspiration and why? My Mum, she gives everything a go, still plays competitive sport and wins medals. She is involved in helping their community and friends, and supports her family 100%. She lives life to the fullest.
If you could have one super power in life what would it be any why? The Speed of Flash, then I would have all the energy to speed through the race!
What was the thing you were most nervous about for your first Spirited women event? Would I let me team down by not being fit enough and fast enough?
What would you tell yourself about that first race now that you've had experience? Enjoy it, it’s so much fun!!
Name and/or nickname: Ainsley Leslie (nickname Ainz)
What's your favourite part of being in Spirited Women? Plenty of favourite parts of being in Spirited Women which is why we come back year after year. Enjoying a weekend away with families and friends and exploring new countryside around NZ. Embracing the challenges each event brings and giving them all a go. Meeting new ladies along the course and enjoying a laugh with them. Probably my favourite part is enjoying a wine afterwards whilst dissecting the race with my teammates.
When you're not training, how do you spend your time? Playing tennis, netball, hockey, and badminton currently. Love travelling the globe with friends and family (looking forward to my upcoming India trip I won via Spirited Women in December). Cooking (especially trying out new recipes), and getting absorbed in a good book (which doesn’t happen nearly enough due to a lack of time). Spending time with family and friends.
Who is your biggest inspiration and why? So many inspiring people in my own back yard and beyond but I do reckon Nelson Mandela is one incredible man to be admired for his fight against racial discrimination and equality.
If you could have one super power in life what would it be and why? Being able to turn paper into money would be an incredibly handy superpower to have (especially whilst in the midst of building a house currently)!
What was the thing you were most nervous about for your first Spirited women event? Being the navigator for our first event in Taupo and hoping like heck I wasn’t going to get my team lost or having to unnecessarily backtrack over the countryside.
What would you tell yourself about that first race now that you've had experience? Don’t doubt my gut instinct and just enjoy the moment - whatever will be will be!
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